Cuba's foreign policy has been fluid throughout history depending on world events and other variables, including relations with the United States. Without massive Soviet subsidies and its primary trading partner, Cuba became increasingly isolated in the late 1980s and early 1990s after the fall of the USSR and the end of the Cold War, but Cuba opened up more with the rest of the world again starting in the late 1990s when they have since entered bilateral co-operation with several South American countries, most notably Venezuela and Bolivia beginning in the late 1990s, especially after the Venezuela election of Hugo Chávez in 1999, who became a staunch ally of Castro's Cuba. The United States used to stick to a policy of isolating Cuba until December 2014, when Barack Obama announced a new policy of diplomatic and economic engagement. The European Union accuses Cuba of "continuing flagrant violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms". Cuba has developed a growing relationship with the People's Republic of China and Russia. Cuba provided civilian assistance workers – principally medical – to more than 20 countries. More than one million exiles have escaped to foreign countries. Cuba's present foreign minister is Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla.
After the establishment of diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, Cuba became increasingly dependent on Soviet markets and military aid and was an ally of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. In 1972 Cuba joined the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon), an economic organization of states designed to create co-operation among the communist planned economies, which was dominated by its largest economy, the Soviet Union. Moscow kept in regular contact with Havana and shared varying close relations until the end of the Soviet Union in 1991. Cuba then entered an era of serious economic hardship, the Special Period.
The Balkan Pact of 1953, officially known as the Agreement of Friendship and Cooperation, was a treaty signed by Greece, Turkey and Yugoslavia on 28 February 1953. It was signed in Ankara. The treaty was to act as a deterrence against Soviet expansion in the Balkans and provided for the eventual creation of a joint military staff for the three countries. When the pact was created and signed, Turkey and Greece had been members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for a year, having both joined on 18 February 1952, while Yugoslavia was a socialist non-aligned state that later became a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement. The Balkan Pact allowed Yugoslavia to de facto associate itself with NATO on geopolitical affairs while remaining officially neutral. In October 1954, Israeli government expressed their interest in joining the alliance in expectation that Yugoslavia would act as a mediator in development of the Egypt–Israel relations; Yugoslav authorities were open to the proposal. However, Israel never ended up joining the alliance.
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, an international groupation established to maintain independence of countries beyond Eastern and Western Bloc from the major Cold War powers. Belgrade, the capital of Yugoslavia, hosted the First Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in September 1961 and the Ninth Summit in September 1989.
Afghanistan–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Afghanistan and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Both countries were founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement. Afghan Prime Minister Daoud Khan represented the Kingdom of Afghanistan at the 1961 First Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade.
Egypt–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Egypt and now break-up Yugoslavia. Both countries were founding members and prominent participants of the Non-Aligned Movement. While initially marginal, relations between the two Mediterranean countries developed significantly in the aftermath of the Soviet-Yugoslav split of 1948 and the Egyptian revolution of 1952. Belgrade hosted the Non-Aligned movement's first conference for which preparatory meeting took place in Cairo, while Cairo hosted the second conference. While critical of certain aspects of the Camp David Accords Yugoslavia remained major advocate for Egyptian realist approach within the movement, and strongly opposed harsh criticism of Cairo or proposals which questioned country's place within the movement.
Sierra Leone–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Sierra Leone and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1961. Both countries were member states of the Non-Aligned Movement and cooperated in the United Nations in bridging the Cold War divisions. Two countries reached the peak of their diplomatic relations in cooperation on the issue of Rhodesia.
Ethiopia–Yugoslavia relations were historical bilateral relations between Ethiopia and the now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Both countries were amongst the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement. Diplomatic contact was first established between the two countries at the United Nations in 1947, when Yugoslavia supported Ethiopian claims to Eritrea and Ethiopia supported Yugoslav claims over the Free Territory of Trieste. After the 1948 Tito-Stalin split, Yugoslavia turned increasingly focused on the countries outside of the bloc, resulting in the two countries opening embassies in 1955. The formal diplomatic relations were already established in 1952. Emperor Haile Selassie was the first African head of state in official visit to Yugoslavia in 1954.
Vietnam–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Vietnam and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Two countries established formal bilateral relations in 1957. Relations were predominantly positive due to positive public image of Vietnam in Yugoslavia which was result of Vietnamese resistance to foreign domination and shared membership in the Non-Aligned Movement.
Angola–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Angola and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. During the Cold War both countries actively participated in the work of the Non-Aligned Movement.
Lebanon–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Lebanon and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Both countries self-identified with the wider Mediterranean region and shared membership in the Non-Aligned Movement. Formal bilateral relations between Lebanon and Yugoslavia were established in 1946. Lebanon participated at the 1961 First Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade. Both countries experienced significant instabilities and conflicts with weak central authorities which in Yugoslav case led to complete dismemberment of federal institutions and violent breakup of the state. Instability in both countries led to the establishment of special courts; the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
Iran–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Iran and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
China–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between China and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. For a long period during the Cold War China was critical towards perceived excessive liberalism, too close cooperation with Western Bloc or market socialism of Yugoslavia, therefore the Chinese communists accused the Yugoslav communists of being revisionists, while the Yugoslav communists accused the Chinese communists of being dogmatics. But, the good relations between both socialist states were restored at the end of the 1960s, and improved even more since the Sino-Albanian rupture occurred, with the trend of improved relations continuing in relations with successor states, particularly Serbia. In the 1980s Deng Xiaoping's foreign policy resembled Yugoslavia's stance of being non-aligned and non-confrontational and with Hu Yaobang’s 1983 appraisal of ‘Josip Tito's principles of independence and equality among all communist parties, and of opposing imperialism, colonialism, and hegemonism’. All six former Yugoslav republics have memoranda of understanding with China on Belt and Road Initiative.
Cuba–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Cuba and now split-up Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Official diplomatic relations were established in 1943 when the Yugoslav government-in-exile decided to upgrade its consulate into an official representation office.
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is a forum of 120 countries that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. It was founded with the view to advancing interests of developing countries in the context of Cold War confrontation. After the United Nations, it is the largest grouping of states worldwide.
The 6th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement took place on 3–9 September 1979 in Havana, the capital city of Cuba. 93 countries took part in the summit. It was the first NAM summit which took place in one Iberoamerican country. The event was marked by political and ideological divisions among the non-aligned countries. The organizer wanted to use the event to propose "a natural alliance" between the movement and the Eastern Bloc causing strong resistance from some members, particularly SFR Yugoslavia. While both Cuba and Yugoslavia were at the time nominally socialist states, they took substantially different position in world politics with Cuba perceiving United States and Yugoslavia perceiving Soviet Union as the main threat to its independence.
8th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement on 1–6 September 1986 in Harare, Zimbabwe was the conference of heads of state or government of the Non-Aligned Movement. 101 countries took part in the summit, 51 of which were African countries. Explicitly expressed South–South cooperation call appeared for the first time in the 1986 NAM final declaration.
Nigeria–Yugoslavia relations were historical foreign relations between Nigeria and the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1960 after the independence of Nigeria earlier that year. Both countries were members of the Non-Aligned Movement and they developed their relations in the framework of the Cold War Third World cooperation. Yugoslavia was one of the founding members of the movement while Belgrade believed that the reason why Nigeria did not participate in the 1st Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement as one of the founding members was the result of discouragement by the United States as the decision was announced during the prime minister's visit to Washington, D.C. During the existence of socialist Yugoslavia, both countries were organized as multi-ethnic federal states.
1978 Non-Aligned Foreign Ministers Conference was held in Belgrade, SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia, between 25 and 30 July 1978. The conference was organized as a preparatory event ahead of the divisive 6th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement which took place in Havana next year. The NAM member states were deeply divided over Cuban military actions in Africa and country's pro-Soviet politics with some of them threatened to boycott the Summit in Havana. The host country of Yugoslavia was recognized as the leader of the middle ground delegations which wanted to overcome divisions and radicalism and was in this effort supported primarily by India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Neutral and Non-Aligned European States, sometimes known by abbreviation NN states, was a Cold War era informal grouping of states in Europe which were neither part of NATO nor Warsaw Pact but were either neutral or members of the Non-Aligned Movement. The group brought together neutral countries of Austria, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland on one, and non-aligned SFR Yugoslavia, Cyprus and Malta on the other hand, all of which together shared interest in preservation of their independent non-bloc position with regard to NATO, European Community, Warsaw Pact and the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance. Established and comparatively highly developed European neutral countries perceived cooperation with non-aligned countries as a way to advocate for peace, disarmament and superpowers' restraint more forcefully than their limited earlier cooperation would permit.
